How is char pronounced?

char is most commonly pronounced "char" (/tʃɑːr/). "char" (rhymes with "car") in C/C++ camp; "care" and "kar" also used.

Is char sometimes pronounced "care"?

Yes — "care" (/kɛər/) is one of the alternate readings in active use.

Is char sometimes pronounced "car"?

Yes — "car" (/kɑːr/) is one of the alternate readings in active use.

How to pronounce char (and the alternate readings)

How to pronounce char

cs-term contested

char /tʃɑːr/

or: care /kɛər/

or: car /kɑːr/

char is most commonly pronounced "char" (/tʃɑːr/). This is one of several readings in active use; the developer community hasn't converged on a single answer.

"char" (rhymes with "car") in C/C++ camp; "care" and "kar" also used.

Alternate readings you might hear:

"care" /kɛər/
"car" /kɑːr/

Pronouncing project and product names correctly avoids the small but persistent friction of being gently corrected during standups, conference Q&As, and team calls. Hearing the word a few times locks in the right reading better than reading IPA ever will. Pronounce is a community-maintained dictionary — every entry tagged with a confidence level and (where possible) a citable source.

Hear it from the command line

$ say-it char # primary × 3 + audible "or: …" for each alternate

$ say-it --alt char # focus on the first alternate

$ say-it --all char # primary AND every alternate, each repeated

$ say-it --solo char # primary only, no "or: …" tail

$ say-it --why char # print the dict entry with source URL

Install the CLI: git clone https://github.com/anzy-renlab-ai/pronounce.git && cd pronounce && ./install.sh

⭐ Star the project

This whole page exists because of a community-maintained TSV. If it saved you a cringey moment, drop a star.

★ Star on GitHub

How to pronounce char

Hear it from the command line

More in this category

Share this

About this entry

⭐ Star the project